The Perfect Replacement Groom

Olivia laughed triumphantly and urged Cole to hang up.

Henry's face clouded with shame. He couldn't bring himself to ask me to keep waiting for Cole to come around.

"You're sure about Julian? His background—"

I cut him off, my gaze locked on the turbulent depths of Julian Harrington's eyes. I drew a deep breath. "I choose him."

My mother had once mentioned seeing Julian at an exclusive private auction. This illegitimate son was far more complicated than Henry imagined.

Love or money—I had to secure one of them.

The groom's attire would need remaking, so Julian and I set our wedding for a week later. Henry's eyes held a complex expression as he sighed heavily. "The day you marry, I'll announce the change in Harrington family inheritance."

With the groom changed, everything else had to follow suit. When I visited the jewelry store to select new wedding bands, I unexpectedly ran into Cole and Olivia, just returned to the country.

Our eyes met, and the warmth drained from Cole's face. "Avery, you're quite something—managing to convince Grandpa to freeze my cards."

His voice dripped with disdain. "I've always hated being forced into things. Don't think just because I'm back, I'll marry you."

A flicker of annoyance crossed his features. "What, you tracked my movements and came here to ambush me?"

Olivia gave him a playful shove. "She's devoted to you—don't be so harsh!"

Without any pretense of discretion, she linked her arm through his and grinned at me. "That's just how he is. Don't take it personally. I promise I'll train him up properly before handing him back to you."

Cole let her cling to him, his expression one of pure indulgence.

But before, when we'd shopped together and I'd merely tried to hold his hand, he'd always slip away with practiced ease. "So many people watching—it's awkward."

So, it was only my touch that felt awkward.

I breathed deeply, forcing down the storm of emotions roiling inside me. "Don't worry. I won't force you to marry me."

Cole blinked, his brow furrowing just as a sales associate approached. "Miss Monroe, your wedding rings are ready."

He scoffed, an eyebrow quirking upward. "Picking out wedding rings, and you claim you don't want to marry me?" He grabbed my hand. "Put it on. Let me see how it fits."

His voice faltered. His gaze fixed on the faded indentation around my finger where a ring used to sit. "Where's the ring I gave you?"

"I threw it away." My voice was flat.

The day I decided to switch grooms, I'd tossed it. It was the first gift Cole had ever given me, our initials engraved inside the band. The notoriously unyielding young master's ears had turned uncharacteristically red as he shoved it into my hand. "I engraved it myself. Lose it, and you'll answer to me."

But in the end, he was the one who lost it first.

When I fished his broken ring from the trash, Cole rubbed his nose sheepishly. "Liv got drunk and insisted on seeing it. Next thing I knew, it was like this. Just throw it out—I'll make you another one."

But I waited. I waited until the mark on his finger faded completely.

He never did.